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Good bubble tea is all about getting the right mix of flavours, and Tea Project is a blend of four years of hard graft with a lifelong passion for tea.

Christina Meng’s new Cuba St shop is the culmination of nearly five years’ research (with a lot of travel thrown in for good measure).

Meng says it all boils down to her innate love for tea.

``As a huge bubble tea drinker myself, I don’t enjoy watery drinks and many of the powdery drinks on the market.

``I’ve always thought my mission was to bring authentic bubble tea to Wellington,’’ Meng says.

Exotic flavours abound at Tea Project, such as a dragonfruit and lychee drink with hints of chufa (water chestnut).

She has also drawn from her childhood in designing her menu, as seen in her special osmanthus tea.

``When I was little, my mum always took me and my sister to pick osmanthus, and we used osmanthus to cook pancakes for the family.

``I decided to combine this flavour in a bubble tea,’’ she says.

149 Cuba St, Te Aro

The concept may seem a bit jarring, but you should get acquainted with Courtenay Place’s new ``vegan junk food bar’’.

Mockingbird is the latest venture from Lydia Suggate, the hospitality powerhouse behind The Botanist, Bebemos, Little Beer Quarter, and Beach Babylon.

Suggate’s new bar takes over the former Basque site (which was another of her eateries).

``The mockingbird is a bird that is known for never hurting anything or anyone, choosing to live in perfect harmony with its surroundings, which is why it was chosen as a symbol of innocence,’’ Suggate says.

``This is what we aim to do by reducing our impact on the environment: by offering plant-based food; choosing local, sustainable produce, packaging and recycling; and trying our best to live in harmony with our environment.’’

The menu is mostly made up of burgers and fries, snacks and desserts. There are healthy options as well, with six different bowls, including a breakfast bowl and a burrito bowl, and plant-based smoothies.

The drinks menu is extensive too, and fans of Basque will be pleased to know that the famous sangria lives on.

``We hope to offer fast, tasty food and drinks in a fun and welcoming environment, introduce more people